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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mark — a grade
  4. lie — to recline
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. swing — music
  9. bore — to tire
  10. firm — a company
  11. mark — a trace
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. firm — decided
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. firm — steady
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. swing — in golf

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com